The Streets of Laredo
Elegy of the Young Cowboy: Johnny Cash's Tale in Laredo
Lyrics
As I walked out on the streets of Laredo.
Introduction to the narrator walking on the streets of Laredo.
As I walked out on Laredo one day,
Continuation of the narrator walking in Laredo.
I spied a poor cowboy wrapped in white linen,
The narrator observes a dying cowboy dressed in white linen.
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay.
The cowboy is wrapped in white linen, symbolizing death.
"I can see by your outfit that you are a cowboy."
The dying cowboy recognizes the narrator as a fellow cowboy.
These words he did say as I boldly walked by.
The cowboy invites the narrator to sit and hear his tragic tale.
"Come an' sit down beside me an' hear my sad story.
The dying cowboy recounts his past, mentioning being shot in the breast.
"I'm shot in the breast an' I know I must die."
Expressing awareness of imminent death due to the gunshot wound.
"It was once in the saddle, I used to go dashing.
Reflecting on the cowboy's adventurous past, riding and enjoying life.
"Once in the saddle, I used to go gay.
Describing the cowboy's carefree and joyful attitude in the past.
"First to the card-house and then down to Rose's.
Recalling visits to a card-house and Rose's, indicating a wild lifestyle.
"But I'm shot in the breast and I'm dying today."
Contrasting the past joy with the present sorrow of impending death.
"Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin.
Requesting six cowboys and dance-hall maidens for his funeral.
"Six dance-hall maidens to bear up my pall.
Cowboys and maidens are asked to carry the coffin and pall, respectively.
"Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin.
Asking for roses to be thrown on the coffin to soften the impact of the fall of soil.
"Roses to deaden the clods as they fall."
Symbolic request for a dignified farewell.
"Then beat the drum slowly, play the Fife lowly.
Requesting a slow drum and fife performance, setting a somber tone.
"Play the dead march as you carry me along.
Asking for a dead march during the procession to the green valley.
"Take me to the green valley, lay the sod o'er me,
Expressing a desire to be laid to rest in the green valley with sod over him.
"I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong."
Acknowledging wrongdoing as a young cowboy.
"Then go write a letter to my gray-haired mother,
Requesting a letter to be written to the cowboy's mother about his death.
"An' tell her the cowboy that she loved has gone.
Telling the mother that the cowboy she loved has passed away.
"But please not one word of the man who had killed me.
Asking to keep quiet about the person who killed him.
"Don't mention his name and his name will pass on."
Emphasizing that not mentioning the killer's name will make it fade away.
When thus he had spoken, the hot sun was setting.
As the dying cowboy finishes speaking, the sun sets, and Laredo becomes cold.
The streets of Laredo grew cold as the clay.
The atmosphere reflects the somber mood after the cowboy's revelation.
We took the young cowboy down to the green valley,
Transporting the dying cowboy to the green valley for burial.
And there stands his marker, we made, to this day.
Creating a marker for the young cowboy's grave.
We beat the drum slowly and played the Fife lowly,
Repeating the request for a slow drum and fife performance during the procession.
Played the dead march as we carried him along.
Continuing the description of the funeral march with a dead march.
Down in the green valley, laid the sod o'er him.
Laying the sod over the young cowboy's grave in the green valley.
He was a young cowboy and he said he'd done wrong.
Reiterating that the cowboy was young and acknowledging his wrongdoing.
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